Some parents are calling on the City of Lethbridge and ARCHES (AIDS Outreach Community Harm Reduction Education and Support Society) to make sure needles used at the supervised drug-consumption site run by the outreach organization from leaving the facility.
An online petition asking for just that was set up on Tuesday and as of Thursday evening, it had more than 850 signatures.
Concerns are being raised after used needles were found in public areas like parks and playgrounds.
Jay Straszewski is a father of four and says he is concerned for his children’s safety when taking them to the library or park.
Having fought off a crack cocaine addiction, he knows the struggle that comes along with being hooked on a drug, but doesn’t think that it’s rational for ARCHES to hand out needles for users.
“I just think that people being more careful and literally just not sending out needles with people all over the place is key,” he told Global News.
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“What if a kid gets pricked and gets AIDS or hepatitis or, God forbid, some kind of flesh-eating disease and dies.”
But the organization says if they didn’t provide the service, drug users would still find ways to consume drugs — whether they received a clean needle, or made their own.
“I’ve seen somebody rig up a needle out of a hollowed out BIC pen, an elastic band, a coffee stir stick and a paper clip,” said ARCHES’ executive director, Stacey Bourque.
“You know, nothing is going to prevent somebody from using drugs in the method or the means that they want to if that’s the direction that they’re going in.”
She noted the consumption site has had more than 12,000 visits since it opened three months ago, and sometimes wait times can reach up to 90 minutes.
The mayor of Lethbridge said he understands the concern for the safety of children, but changing people’s behaviours is a difficult task.
Chris Spearman said the city could take action, but it might not be effective.
“We can probably try different things,” he said. “We can ban drug use in our parks. How do we enforce it? You know, it will be a challenge.”
Spearman went on to say improperly disposed needles have been a problem in the city well before the consumption site was running and that the opioid crisis is a medical health crisis.
Last month, council voted for a new syringe-management strategy would see nearly $54,000 go towards the needle pickup program by ARCHES.
For more information on how to discard a needle, you can visit the city’s website.
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